Back to EveryPatent.com
United States Patent | 5,501,313 |
Bonnet | March 26, 1996 |
An automatic system for sorting items such as small, elongate parcels into groups for different geographical locations. The system uses tilting trays, suspended from a track, with the trays being suspended from at least two carriages. The trays are tilted at the proper output chutes by cam roller mechanisms which are appropriately inserted into the path of cams on the trays under the coordination of a digital controller. A simple drive mechanism moves the carriages along the monorail using a drive roller which presses against the top of the carriages. The carriages may be linked by a pliable linkage assembly that does not include mechanical hinges or like mechanisms. The system is easy to repair and operates at low noise levels.
Inventors: | Bonnet; Henri (Atlanta, GA) |
Assignee: | United Parcel Service of America, Inc. (Atlanta, GA) |
Appl. No.: | 398544 |
Filed: | March 6, 1995 |
Current U.S. Class: | 198/370.09; 198/370.03; 198/680 |
Intern'l Class: | B65G 047/46 |
Field of Search: | 198/370.03,370.09,597,678.1,680,682,801 |
1986420 | Jan., 1935 | Webb et al. | 198/682. |
3006452 | Oct., 1961 | Hill | 198/680. |
3032172 | May., 1962 | Jensen | 198/680. |
3180279 | Apr., 1965 | Thibault | 198/680. |
3757942 | Sep., 1973 | Gunn. | |
3955678 | May., 1976 | Moyer. | |
3977513 | Aug., 1976 | Rushforth. | |
4031998 | Jun., 1977 | Suzuki. | |
4089404 | May., 1978 | Venzke. | |
4399904 | Aug., 1983 | Canziani. | |
4712965 | Dec., 1987 | Canziani. | |
4722430 | Feb., 1988 | Canziani. | |
4744454 | May., 1988 | Polling. | |
4838435 | Jun., 1989 | Alexandre. | |
4846335 | Jul., 1989 | Hartlepp. | |
4856642 | Aug., 1989 | Nicholson. | |
4911281 | Mar., 1990 | Jenkner | 198/370. |
4982828 | Jan., 1991 | Nicholson. | |
5018928 | May., 1991 | Hartlepp. | |
5054601 | Oct., 1991 | Sjogren. | |
5086905 | Feb., 1992 | Polling. | |
5090552 | Feb., 1992 | Fukuyama. | |
5181597 | Jan., 1993 | Geerts. | |
5307921 | May., 1994 | Richardson. | |
Foreign Patent Documents | |||
0969587 | Jun., 1958 | DE | 198/682. |
1031728 | Jun., 1958 | DE | 198/682. |
2460296 | Jul., 1975 | DE. | |
8714976.1 | Feb., 1988 | DE. | |
4104341 | Sep., 1991 | DE. | |
0138010 | May., 1990 | JP. | |
2002314 | Feb., 1979 | GB. | |
2073691 | Oct., 1981 | GB. | |
2184416 | Jun., 1987 | GB. | |
2197633 | May., 1988 | GB. |